Never Say Never
by Chibi Rose Angel
Summary: She didn’t know what to make of her feelings for him. She knew it wasn’t lust but it wasn’t exactly a crush either.
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Notes**_: Okay so this is one of my first attempts to get back into the TMNT fandom. I apologize for being away for so long but my attention has been drawn elsewhere. I've got so many bunnies gnawing on my brain for attention, it's not even funny. And the worst part is that the bunnies are for other personal fandom favorites of mine! Anyway, with this story, I'm attempting to deal with something very personal that's going on in my life. I might be a bit biased but I decided to use Karai and Leo for this one shot. Read the story and you'll find out why. But here's a hint: I'm a Karai fan and I like the Leo/Karai pairing. I thought about using April and Don but as the words kept coming, it just didn't sound like them. And before anyone accuses me of making the characters act unlike themselves, this one shot is set in an AU setting. Plus I think it's an interesting premise to see Karai struggling with romantic feelings. Depending on how well this story goes over, I might write a second chapter. And this story has not been beta read so please forgive any mistakes you might find. I've already sent the story to my beta and I do plan on fixing whatever errors she might find. Enough babbling from me though... Enjoy and happy reading!

**_Disclaimer_**: I don't own the TMNT or anything associated with the TMNT.

Never in a million years had she felt so strongly about another person. She knew what it felt like to love her family and friends. She knew what it was like to have a crush on someone and she definitely knew how it felt when your feelings for someone went much deeper than friendship.

She just couldn't believe that she might actually be in love. As much as she wanted to convince herself otherwise, she was experiencing all of the tell-tale signs.

Whenever he was near her, she grew anxious and nervous. When she managed to catch sight of him, she would get flustered and had a hard time not making herself look like a fool. Her heart sped up just a little when he actually talked to her and paid her attention.

She constantly found herself thinking of him at the most random and weirdest times. She couldn't even go a day without at least wondering just how longer she would be able to pretend that she didn't care about him.

What scared her the most, however, was the fact that he might be aware of her feelings.

She never made it a point to ask him but the thought still kept her awake at night. She didn't even know how many times she wondered whether or not she should confess how she felt. On one hand, she was afraid of being rejected. On the other hand, however, she would never know his feelings unless she tried.

She didn't even have the courage to tell her family or her friends. It wasn't because she didn't want to tell them. She was hesitant to discuss such a delicate matter with anyone because she was afraid of their reactions.

Her father would probably disown her on the spot while her so called friends would probably think she was out of her mind. What was even worse was the simple fact that she was absolutely convinced that no one would actually be able to relate to her current situation.

So to put it bluntly, she was stuck between the proverbial rock and a hard place.

She had already ruled out friendly or platonic feelings because she was quite sure you didn't stare longingly at a friend when you thought they weren't looking. She was also quite positive that you didn't think about someone so much if they were just a friend. More importantly, however, you didn't want and actually_** crave**_ a deep and personal relationship with someone who was just a friend.

Next came the so called question on whether or not she had a crush on him…

At first, she simply thought that's what her feelings were. After all, it was normal and perfectly healthy for a woman to have a crush on a man. But she knew that a crush didn't last long and was merely a brief infatuation with someone.

So when her feelings only grew stronger with each passing day, she was almost at her wit's end. She was totally convinced that her feelings had only been a passing fancy but she was wrong, so completely wrong.

She hadn't even bothered to wonder if she was merely lusting after him. She knew from the moment she laid eyes on him that she hadn't wanted him for his body. He had a very nice build but she wasn't interested in him because of his body or what they could do in the bedroom.

Every day she spent with him made her realize what a terrific and wonderful person he truly was. He was the first man to ever see her as a woman. He didn't think she was unfeminine nor did he look at her like she was just another person.

He treated her like a woman and for that she could have kissed him senseless. Growing up around nothing but men had done nothing to instill feminine ways in her. She was more attracted to masculine things not because she wanted to be a man but only because it was all she knew.

There had never been any long lasting female presences in her life either so she was left trying to navigate the world of romance and love on her own. After all, it wasn't like she could ask her father to teach her about any of that. He probably would have scoffed at the very idea and then told her to be on her way.

Either way, she couldn't help being attracted to him. He was one of the few people who could actually get her to smile or laugh. He was also one of the few people who could get away with teasing her too.

She just couldn't believe it.

Here she was, a strong, noble and capable woman pinning over some man like a lovesick schoolgirl… If she weren't so prideful and stubborn, she would have had an easier time recognizing her feelings earlier.

If she was completely honest with herself though, she would be shocked to discover just how much she actually liked him. He was intelligent, sensitive, caring, sweet, attentive and attractive. Another thing she liked about him was how he always had a nice word or compliment for her. She wasn't used to such pleasant words or gestures but he said them to her with such ease. Then there was also the fact that his smile was so dazzling.

Perhaps the best thing she liked about him, however, was his eyes. They were so dark and stunning. She could easily get lost staring into those deep, shimmering pools. Not to mention, how warm and inviting they looked as well…

Honestly, she was sick and tired of trying to make sense of this whole ordeal.

Her feelings were constantly changing, never staying the same for too long. Never mind the fact that maybe what she wanted was just a strictly platonic relationship outside of her family and friends. It never crossed her mind that she just might want companionship from him either.

Regardless of how things turned out, she was determined to not let her heart get the best of her. She was stronger than this. There was no way she would succumb to the weakness known as "romantic love". She had survived this long without being plagued by such feelings so why she should start bothering with them now?

Now if she could only convince herself as well as her heart to stop caring…


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author's Notes**_: Okay so I fibbed… Here's the second chapter. This time it's from Karai's love interest. This story is still set in an AU setting. I chose to make it an AU story because of the circumstances surrounding Karai and her love interest. You'll see what I mean as you read this chapter. Unfortunately this chapter has not been beta read yet… I have to send the first chapter as well as this chapter to my beta. My usual beta is out of commission indefinitely so until things settle down for her, I'll be working with two different betas. That's enough chit chat from me so without further ado, please enjoy and thank you in advance for reading my story.

_**Disclaimer**_: I don't own the TMNT or anything else associated with the TMNT.

He wasn't blind nor was he stupid. He knew full well how she felt about him. He wasn't ignorant to her loving looks or the way she would blush if he managed to catch her staring at him.

From the first moment he met her, he felt an instant connection with her. Unlike so many other women, she wasn't afraid to get close to him. She certainly wasn't afraid to speak her mind either.

Perhaps what really drew him to her was the fact that she wasn't like any other woman. One minute she could be headstrong and proud and then the next moment, she could be cold and unapproachable.

Maybe he was being too arrogant but he was a little proud of the fact that he had such a strong hold over her feelings. No other man could get her to stumble over her words or effectively make her lose cool and calm demeanor.

That was one thing he never got tired of doing. She always tried to be so nonchalant and impassive around him but it never worked. Instead, her actions would backfire causing her to get terribly miffed with him. She would try so hard to hide her annoyance with him but he always saw right through her act.

For all the pretending she did, he was one of the few people to know that she actually wanted to be seen as a woman. She was one of the most respected and feared women in the city but no one ever saw her as a woman.

She was known for being able to hold her own against men twice her size and being able to wield several different weapons in a clear, concise and deadly manner. What really set her apart from other women, however, was the fact that she placed such a strong emphasis on honor.

She could very well be a sweet, gentle and kind person but if someone insulted her honor in any shape or form, there would be grave consequences. It didn't matter if the person insulted her, her family or even her friends. To her, there was no getting away with such an injustice.

Maybe he was giving her far too much credit but he couldn't help it.

She was a walking enigma. She completely and totally confused him. How was it possible that he could twist and turn her feelings in every direction but she could do the exact same thing to him?

He just didn't understand her.

How could she have possibly fallen for someone like him? He was the type of man that put his family and friends first. He didn't particularly pay close attention to his own well being and he certainly didn't let people get away with mistreating or hurting his family either.

His life was sorely dedicated to his loved ones and yet she managed to creep into his heart without ever realizing she had done so. She had no idea that the mere thought of her falling in love with someone else sickened him to his stomach.

She had no clue that he was purposely ignoring the attention of other women because he had eyes for her and only her. More importantly, she had no way of knowing that he could care less about how people thought or felt about her.

He loved her and wanted no one else by his side.

He wasn't the possessive type nor was he selfish either, but just once he would have loved for her to let go of her reservations. He was tired of waiting for her to confess so maybe it was time for him to take things to the next level.

Maybe he should stop pretending himself and admit to her that he saw her as more than a friend. He had always known that it would come to this but he had been lying to himself for months now.

He had been trying so hard to convince himself that he didn't love her and yet he knew better. If there was one rule he should have known, it was to always follow your heart. He had never been one to scoff at such sentimental words but in this case, he was willing to do whatever it took to win her affections.

He wasn't scared of rejection because he already knew she loved him. It was in her eyes and her body language.

But how would he ever explain to his family and friends? They wouldn't be so keen on having her in the family. They were all convinced that she was wrong for him but they didn't know her as well as he did. He knew her better than she knew herself.

Somehow he had to find a way to tell her his feelings but he knew he would be taking a great risk in doing so. He knew he was hesitating because deep down, he was afraid of opening up to her. He was afraid that if he let his guard down, she would only end up hurting him.

If it truly came to that, he would never forgive himself for being so exposed and vulnerable. He would never forgive her for bewitching him and he would certainly never give his heart away to another woman.

This was one of the main reasons why he had always avoided getting involved with women. His siblings liked to tease him by telling him that he didn't know what he was missing but he already knew what he wanted.

The only problem was whether or not she really wanted him…

He had no reason to doubt her feelings but in the back of his mind, he couldn't help wondering if her love for him was real. Could she really and truly have deep and intimate feelings for someone like him? Was it possible that she had been able to see beyond the mask? Had she seen deep into his soul and loved what she saw?

Ultimately, he would never know because he wasn't ready to take that chance. He wasn't willing to expose himself so fully. He would rather wait for her because in the end that would only make their feelings for one another that much stronger.

He had no way of knowing whether or not he was taking the right approach towards her but there was one thing he was absolutely certain of.

If it took all eternity, he would willingly wait for her because there was no one else he would rather love.


End file.
